BRANTFORD — The Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union (WLUSU) is again supporting the development of the Brantford campus with a $1-million capital investment in the new University Centre.

The investment will help equip the approximately $15.8-million building with a cafeteria-style food service, which will be operated by the Students’ Union. WLUSU currently operates a full-service restaurant and a food court on the university’s Waterloo campus, with annual revenues of over $3.5 million.

“WLUSU is committed to the process of increasing services for WLU Brantford students,” said Dan Allison, president of the Students’ Union. “I have very high expectations for the food services that will be offered to students, and I’m excited to see how our facilities develop over the next two years.”

The new University Centre is scheduled to open on the Heritage Block in downtown Brantford in September 2009. The building will be a significant addition to the development of the campus. In addition to the cafeteria, the University Centre will feature a community bookstore, two floors of academic space and two floors of residence accommodations. The cafeteria will also generate up to $200,000 in student wages annually.

“This is a great achievement for WLUSU Brantford, and it will provide the final necessary service for our student experience in Brantford,” said Zachary Mealia, WLUSU vice-president of operations, Brantford.

In addition to the on-campus food services, the Students’ Union is partnering with Williams Coffee Pub to operate a downtown location in Brantford’s Market Square mall. This will provide another café option for students, as well as additional employment opportunities.

Laurier Brantford opened in 1999 with 39 students. It will have an enrolment of over 2,000 students in September 2007. With the addition of the University Centre, enrolment is expected to rise to approximately 2,500 students within the next few years.